Promoting Beauty with Food

Most of us associate beauty with youthfulness which has resulted in the “anti-aging” concept. Deficiencies in vital nutrients, proteins and essential fatty acids can sabotage the health and beauty of your skin. Another critical anti-aging concept is relaxation as stress causes the release of cortisol which increases cravings, blood sugar and inflammation. The result is accelerated aging by a continuous cycle of stress, weight gain, inflammation, and more stress.

It’s no secret that consuming a blend of fresh fruits, vegetables and clean proteins, plus drinking a sufficient amount of water to stay hydrated translates into clean and vibrant skin. Research now suggests the earlier you begin an antioxidant program, the better the results will be. The antioxidant power of super foods  support  radiant skin, exercise recovery, metabolism, energy, a healthy digestive system and regularity, a healthy cardiovascular system, healthy immunity, detoxification, normal blood sugar and much more.

So how do we get the necessary vitamins needed for a healthy body inside and out? Your local Farmer’s Market may be a good place to start. Vitamin C is available through fruits, vegetables and supplements. Eating foods rich in orange and yellow pigments such as apricots, carrots, papaya, cantaloupe, yams and mangos will give you beta-carotene. A diet rich in vitamin E would include sunflower seeds and raw almonds. Garlic is an antioxidant that helps fight free radical buildup. A diet that includes a variety of mushrooms is helpful for overall immunity. Omega-3  fatty acids includes a diet rich in coldwater fish as well as avocados, olive oil, flaxseeds and walnuts. Did you know Omega-3 fatty acids can help combat dry skin conditions including eczema and psoriasis? Consuming a diet rich in apples, onions, red grapes, citrus fruits, cherries, raspberries, cranberries and broccoli helps to provide quercetin which is referred to as an anti-allergy nutrient. The best sources of selenium are tuna, red snapper, whole grains, egg yolks, sunflower seeds, brazil nuts and brown rice. It can also be found in many vegetables. Foods rich in zinc would include beans, nuts, whole grains, oysters, beef and dark turkey meat.

A healthy, well balanced diet not only promotes healthy skin, but also reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes and possibly certain types of cancer, and contributes to an overall feeling of vitality and energy. Avoid foods that are processed or contain artificial sweeteners. Minimize red meat, white flour, coffee and alcohol. These can also trigger eczema, acne, cysts, rosacea and wrinkles.  Aging gracefully and remaining youthful looking long into your golden years really begins inside with well-balanced, nutritious food.

Pamela Miller is a Licensed Cosmetologist specializing in skincare and is owner of Professional Aesthetic Solutions, providing skincare, microdermabrasion, and waxing services in Escondido, California.

The Immune System and Aging Skin

There are three components of the skin:  Collagen provides support and structure, Elastin makes the skin elastic and Glycosaminoglycans (GAG’s) make it strong, elastic and youthful. In healthy, young skin, all three components are produced in plentiful quantities. 

The epidermis provides a barrier that protects the body from external insults while the dermis provides the necessary support required to maintain the epidermis. If the dermis becomes weakened, then outward signs of aging begin to appear. Things change when a person ages. The result is an increase in wrinkles, pigmentation, sagging, enlarged pores and changes in the skin’s thickness.

As the largest organ of the body, the skin also represents the largest organ of the immune system. When immunity is working at optimum levels, the body has a defense that wards off infection, disease and other unwanted invaders. Toxic substances enter the body every day by way of air, food, water and medications. If left to move freely about the body, they will cause damage to many organs and the immune system, which will eventually make a person look and feel tired, old and worn out. 

The three known means to combat aging and inflammation are diet, exercise and the use of supplements (herbs, vitamins, topical creams, etc.). Adequately nourishing your immune system improves its ability to fight invaders by increasing the number of white cells in the immune system and establishing a solid beauty base that start deep in the body and work their way toward the surface.

Essential Anti-Aging  Skin Care Ingredients

The most important vitamin antioxidants in skincare treatments are vitamins A, C, E and Beta-Carotene. Vitamin A prevents, normalizes , restores and helps repair damaged skin. Vitamin E protects collagen from destruction by UV rays. Vitamin C protects the cells and prevents hyperpigmentation. Vitamins C and E protect the skin from sun damage. And finally, with the number of Melanoma cases on the rise and the knowledge that up to 90% of the visible changes commonly attributed to aging are caused by sun exposure, applying broad –spectrum UV protection is critical.

Anti-Aging Facial Treatments

Flaxx-C Anti-Aging Facial:  This breakthrough treatment is created for skin that’s showing signs of age – sagging, fine lines and dullness. A thorough cleansing is followed by our exclusive layered exfoliation process, energizing massage and ultra-tightening mask. It’s all designed to restore firmness to sagging skin as it lifts, tightens and smoothes. You’ll instantly experience firmer, more resilient skin.

VitaMineral Power Facial:  This cosmeceutical treatment infuses your skin with antioxidant vitamins and trace minerals to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin and protect against environmental aggressors. The perfect anti-aging facial, it includes an energizing massage to penetrate vitamins A, C and E into the epidermis and tone the skin. Experience this dynamic treatment for firmer, stronger, more radiant skin.

For Maximum UVA/UVB Protection

SPF 50 Face Screen:  Reduce the chance of skin-aging caused by sun exposure with this broad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen that provides SPF 50 maximum protection. This emollient formula contains antioxidant vitamins to discourage free radical damage, skin-calming chamomile and a unique blend of Chinese herbs.

Building a strong immune system begins with properly nourishing your skin with diet, exercise, and supplements.  A regular regime of facial treatments can help you to maintain a youthfulness long into your golden years.

Pamela Miller is a Licensed Cosmetologist specializing in skincare and is owner of Professional Aesthetic Solutions, providing skincare, microdermabrasion, and waxing services in Escondido, California.

Soothe Your Skin’s Winter Ailments

The drying effects of winter are upon us. Here are some at-home ideas to help soothe your skin through this challenging season.

Cleanse: Put away your foaming gels and soaps and stock up on creamy products. Cleansing creams, lotions, and milks are great winter choices, because they don't contain the harsh, oil-stripping detergents found in most cleansing gels.

Tone: Shelve your astringents and switch to a toner. In the cold months, your skin needs to be soothed and balanced, not dried out further.

Moisturize: Choose heavier creams than you would in summer months. You can even use your heavy eye cream on your lips and face. If your skin itches, the dry air is causing the moisture in the top layer of your skin to evaporate quickly. Slather those areas with extra moisture until you feel relief, and never be afraid of using pure oils on your skin--a bottle of jojoba or olive oil is great to have on hand.

Exfoliate: Exfoliate twice a week to remove dead skin cells and help your skin absorb the extra moisture you are using. Because central heating systems reduce the amount of sebum our skin secretes, contributing to dryness, exfoliation will free this natural regulating agent. Use a cream-based exfoliant with jojoba beads, so your body can soak up the rich oils.

Hydrate: For a simple in-home hydrotherapy treatment, start your day with a steamy shower. Just as you are finishing, switch the water to cold for about 15 seconds and then back to warm for 15 seconds. Repeat the process for two minutes.

Shower and Bathe with Oils: Did you know you can apply body oil, lotion, or cream during your shower or bath? The heat and steam help your skin to thoroughly absorb the moisture.

Devada Rammell is a Holistic Health Practitioner and licensed Massage Therapist who owns La Vida Sana Wellness, located in the Escondido Hills shopping plaza between the Post Office and Round Table Pizza.  More information about her services can be found online at www.LaVidaSanaWellness.com.

Healthy Holidays: Five Tips for the Natural Traveler

Planning a vacation or business trip this holiday season? Consider packing a small kit of natural remedies before you go. Unfamiliar surroundings, unusual foods, and jet lag can make you vulnerable to viruses, stress, and gastrointestinal (GI) upset. Colorado Naturopathic Physician Michael Sutton suggests the following items:

1. Grapefruit Seed Extract: This extract fights and prevents viruses and helps reduce symptoms of diarrhea and GI upset. It can even be used to decontaminate water (4-5 drops extract per quart of water). A few days before you leave, mix 4-5 drops with juice or water and drink it before bedtime, and continue for the duration of your trip. If you do catch a cold or flu, you can drink as much as 8-10 drops, 3-4 times a day.

2. Airborne: Available in natural products stores, Airborne is an effervescent tablet containing herbs, antioxidants, vitamin C, and amino acids. It helps prevent and fight colds, as well as motion sickness, when traveling.

3. Melatonin: To ease jet lag, Sutton suggests leaving your watch set for the time zone from which you're departing. When your watch shows your normal bedtime, take 3-6mg of melatonin, then go to sleep to regulate yourself quickly and easily to the new time zone.

4. Bach Flower Rescue Remedy: To calm nerves and reduce anxiety, place a few drops of this remedy under your tongue when you're feeling anxious, or add 5-6 drops to your water bottle and drink throughout the day.

5. Water: H2O is essential to healthy travel. Drink lots of water and avoid alcohol, as dehydration is a major cause of travel-related illness.

By packing a few natural remedies and paying attention to your body's needs, you'll be able to fully enjoy your trip.

Devada Rammell is a Holistic Health Practitioner and licensed Massage Therapist who owns La Vida Sana Wellness, located in the Escondido Hills shopping plaza between the Post Office and Round Table Pizza.  More information about her services can be found online at www.LaVidaSanaWellness.com.

Survive Cold and Flu Season: Take Preventive Remedies Now

As the days get shorter and colder, the annual cold and flu season surely can’t be far behind. But this winter, it’s not going to get you—right? Assembling a natural tool kit now will ensure you’re prepared to prevent and self-treat the common cold and influenza. First, choose the most effective, science- based natural remedies; then pay close attention to how much to take and when.

Boost Immunity

Start by reducing your risk of getting the common cold or flu, or at least minimizing the symptoms. 

     Vitamin D. Researchers believe wintertime susceptibility to the flu and colds may be related to less sunlight exposure and lower vitamin D production. Vitamin D regulates several germ-fighting immune factors, and recent studies show supplementing with D can cut the risk of contracting the flu. Dose: 2,000 IU daily during fall and winter, or up to 4,000 IU if recommended by your health care provider after blood testing.

     N-acetylcysteine (NAC). This potent antioxidant boosts the body’s response to infection. In one study, Italian researchers found that seniors taking NAC had flu antibodies in their blood, so had been infected with the flu, but they exhibited virtually no symptoms. Dose: 600 mg twice daily, or up to several grams daily of you do catch a cold.

      Echinacea. An analysis of14 studies published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases found that this popular traditional herb does help fight the common cold. And University of Connecticut researchers noted that Echinacea reduced the odds of developing a cold b6 58 percent and helped speed recovery among those who did catch one. Dose: Consult your natural products retailer to help you choose a standardized Echinacea extract and then follow label directions.

Find Relief

Be ready to aggressively fight a cold or flu on the first day you notice any symptoms, as sneezing or body aches. Fast action on your part can suppress viral replication and also modulate your immune-system response, which is responsible for many of the uncomfortable symptoms.

     Zinc lozenges. In an analysis of 1,360 people in 15 studies, researchers reported that zinc lozenges reduce the length of colds and symptoms if people start taking them within 24 hours of their first cold symptoms. Zinc may work by inhibiting the growth of cold viruses. Dose: As a general rule, suck on one 13-mg lozenge every two to three hours.

     Vitamin C.  Although vitamin C may not reduce your chances of contracting a cold or fu, research indicates it can reduce an infection’s symptoms and length. Dose: Aim for 2,000-6,000 mg daily in divided doses; reduce dose if digestive upset results. If you have a sensitive tummy, opt for the gentler Ester-C form.

     Elderberry. Antioxidant-rich elderberry extract can significantly reduce flu symptoms, including fever. According to The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 90 percent of the people in a 40-person study experienced a “complete cure” within two to three days. Dose: Opt for sugar-free elderberry syrup, and follow label directions.

     Homeopathy. If you feel achy, try Oscillococcinum (pronounced) os-sil-uh-cox-suh-num), a homeopathic remedy that can ease flu symptoms if taken within 48 hours of the first symptoms. Studies found significant symptom reduction after two days of taking the remedy, and a skeptical medical review acknowledged results were “promising.” Dose: Follow label directions for use.

Recovery

You may be able to reduce your supplements doses after a few days, but be careful. If your symptoms recur, you may be suffering from a temporary deficiency and need to maintain a relatively high vitamin C intake. To fight flu-related fatigue, consider adding coenzyme Q10 and L-carnitine, vitamin-like nutrients that naturally enhance energy productions.

Devada Rammell is a Holistic Health Practitioner and licensed Massage Therapist who owns La Vida Sana Wellness, located in the Escondido Hills shopping plaza between the Post Office and Round Table Pizza.  More information about her services can be found online at www.LaVidaSanaWellness.com.